During 2014, ANACOM - Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações applied fines amounting to 7.9 million, as a result of breach proceedings decided over the year.
In the year, ANACOM ruled on 360 breach proceedings, 24.1% more than in the previous year. Of the cases brought against electronic communications operators, 115 concluded with the application of fines, in 113 cases additional sanctions were applied or forfeiture of equipment was ordered in favour of the State; in 26 cases, penalties of admonition were applied; 26 were incorporated into other processes and 80 ended with the accused being cleared.
Among the most significant cases decided in 2014, were cases related to the provision of false and misleading information about the need to sign up to services, breach of requirements to provide information, failures to accomplish performance targets applicable to the universal service of electronic communications and breaches of ANACOM determinations on the digital terrestrial television service. Breaches of portability rules, the unavailability of complaint books and breaches of the obligations applicable to audiotext services made up the content of other cases decided in 2014.
During the year, 720 reports of infringements were referred to ANACOM, which increased the number of processes to be examined to 1,271. Overall, accusations were brought in 346 cases, representing an increase of 30.5% versus the 265 cases brought during 2013.
The reasons that determined instigation of these proceedings include breaches of Lei das Comunicações Eletrónicas (Electronic Communications Law), contracts which omit information on the existence of customer lock-in periods, violation of conditions associated with rights of use of numbering and breaches of consumer protection rules. There were further cases related to the Personal Radio - Citizen Band radiocommunications service, resulting from enforcement actions of PSP and GNR, proceedings stemming from breaches of the rules governing the installation of Telecommunications Infrastructure in Buildings and breaches of the rules governing the free movement, placing on the market and putting into service of radio and telecommunications terminal equipment.
